Don't sully GHS' reputation

Published 6:31 pm, Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Bob Horton continues his relentless and undeserved attack (Time, April 28) on the quality of Greenwich Public Schools, and he gets first page coverage in which to do it! He falsely scares parents and town citizens into believing that our schools are failing our students.

His latest reference to Greenwich High School as "mediocre," based on a single arbitrary ranking by U.S. News and World Report, is insulting and demeaning to the dedicated teachers and hard working students at what is an outstanding school. For starters, let's realize GHS has the advantage of being a diverse community -- with a 25 per minority enrollment and a wide socioeconomic range among families.

I happen to think that is a good thing for all of its students.

GHS offers an amazing array of 402 courses, covering 7 world languages and 23 AP courses. Last year it produced 17 Merit Scholars, 236 AP scholars and 17 National AP scholars (who scored at least a 4 on eight or more AP tests!). For the past 6 years GHS has produced the top student in the state's Science Fair, has the top student in the Intel Science & Engineering Fair, and for the 4th year has the state Math League Championship team. The list goes on, with top awards in essays, music, and dramatics -- too numerous to mention here.

Not everyone at GHS takes one or more of the advanced placement tests, nor should they. Not every student applies to Ivy League schools, nor should they. Many students, however, are admitted to the most demanding colleges and do well there. The freshman class entering Harvard last September included 5 students from GHS. Are we to believe the Harvard squandered 5 of its highly coveted freshman spots on students from a "mediocre" high school? I don't think so, Mr. Horton. Do some real reporting -- talk to admission officials on what they think of GHS students and how they perform at their schools -- before you rush to sully the reputation of a very fine school.

Beverly Jomo

Cos Cob

CL&P damages environment

To the editor:

As a long-time Old Greenwich resident, I read with interest your editorial (Time, April 26) on the indiscriminate cutting of trees along various CL&P right-of-way properties.

Sadly, your editorial comes late in the game as, last week, many of the very tall trees that buffer us from the train tracks are now shredded like mulch. I agree that the deforestation of Connecticut has other, perhaps unintended, consequences. No effort seems to be made to understand the impact on our environment -- or the value of trees in the community.

I am not a tree-hugger, but rather a person who looks to other less disruptive solutions to the power outage problems. For example, in our neighborhood, aged and/or cracked utility poles have gone unrepaired for years. Replacing the clear cutting of trees with low-growing, native plantings is a common practice in other parts of the country where value is placed on the wildlife, the value of trees and their impact on reducing air pollution.

Finally, that this was done without any input from residents is shameful -- especially since there is widespread perception the power outages are the result of poor management of the utility itself, not the trees.

In closing, this is just another example of how CL&P is not only damaging our environment, but its own reputation. Not only do they need new management, but they could use a new PR agency -- have they totally overlooked the renewed emphasis on sustainability?

This in is in response to the absurd letter to the editor "Admitting Gays is bad for Boy Scouts" by James C. Link (Time, April 28.) It is a sad commentary on the Greenwich Council that they allowed such an intolerant person to have influence over our young people.

If in fact the random studies Mr. Link refers to are true, we need to ask ourselves if the abuse gays and lesbians suffer in our society (and institutionalized by organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America) leads to many of these maladies and tragedies.